LETTERS

Re Steve Denyszyn’s “Letter to the Editor”

in The New Pathway, March 5, 2009, Issue 9

MP Wrzesnewskyj out of Ignatieff Liberal Shadow Cabinet and “Blood and Belonging”

It is not unusual for a new leader to make changes in his current shadow cabinet, even though we may not agree with the change. And Mr. Denyszyn talks about the Ukrainian Community and whether you automatically part of it?

Etobicoke Centre has approximately 100,000 voters. Along with the Ukrainian Canadian community in the riding there are many others [i.e.] Anglo Canadian, Irish Canadian, Italian Canadian etc. Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj has been elected for 2 terms and has represented [the riding’s] voter collective interests in Ottawa.

Mr. Denyszyn, you ask how he is an advocate for you, how he has helped you and why you owe him your allegiance. I am sure that you are aware in a democracy you may support the candidate of your choice. Just because you are a Ukrainian Canadian, this does not automatically make you a voter of Mr. Wrzesnewskyj’s. He is an advocate for you while in Ottawa and has helped you by supporting legislation that improves your quality of life. All citizens of the riding do not expect personal service, except in unusual cases. Sometimes, people’s circumstances fall in-between the cracks and the system must address these individual problems. You ask what has Mr. Wrzesnewskyj done for me. As my MP, I find him to be honest. He has compassion for people, takes his job seriously and is hard-working.

All voters in Etobicoke Centre do not support Mr. Wrzesnewskyj but the majority, up until now, does. He has never denied that he is part of the Ukrainian community. Prior to being elected, he was involved with our community in church matters as well as social issues. When he leaves politics, I believe he will continue to be involved in our community.

Prior to coming to Canada a few years ago to enter Canadian politics and then seek the Liberal leadership, Mr. Ignatieff spent 30 years working and living in the United States of America. He was parachuted into the Etobicoke Lakeshore riding in order to have a seat in Parliament. Circumstances surrounding his nomination were nasty and undemocratic, extensively followed by the Toronto media.

Mr. Denyszyn, when you say you agree with most of Mr. Ignatieff’s ideas about nationalism, it’s obvious to me that you do not accept multiculturalism, a policy of Canada for a long time. It’s permissible to support the mother country’s soccer team, and, if so wished, once-retired citizens can move back to their home country. It sounds like you believe in the [US] American melting pot society. In reference to Mr. Ignatieff s ideas about nationalism, you cite some problems therein with the Ukrainian community. You infer the problem has more to do with us showing anti-Russian prejudice but give no shred of evidence to back up your claim. I say it is factually incorrect to say that Ukraine and Russia were part of the same country for centuries. You left out the part that we were a colony, or an occupied country by Russia. I recently read a quote: “The country I write about is Ukraine, never “The Ukraine” – the latter reference has colonial implications that are no longer relevant”.

With regard to Mr. Ignatieff’s “nationalism”, I have not read his extensive published works but many others have and concluded that he has a bias against Ukrainians, in general. You further state that the removal of Wrzesnewskyj underlines our fears is a total lie. Not so. There is an “enduring problematic relationship”. Recently in Edmonton, there was a meeting between the Ukrainian Canadian community and Mr. Ignatieff. MP Wrzesnewskyj organized (and chaired) this meeting at his leader’s request. Mr. Ignatieff pledged his support on some cultural issues that Ukrainians care about, admitted that he has not always chosen his words wisely and that he is not a perfect human being. He further states he respects and has affection for Ukrainians. See Ukrainian News, March 5-17, 2009, Edmonton.

In conclusion, at the meeting Mr. Ignatieff addressed the issue of Ukraine and Ukrainians in his book “Blood and Belonging” and said: “there are things I wish I had said better because they created a misunderstanding … what I discovered was that some of the formulations I used in 1992 were misunderstood and if I gave offense, I can only apologize and express my regret.” Thank you for the opportunity to help set the record straight.

Al Kolyn (former Ontario MPP Etobicoke Lakeshore), Etobicoke, Ont.